Hopper closure for stokers



March 20, 1934. L scHwrrzER Er AL 1,951,534

HOPPER CLOSURE FOR STOKERS Filed oct. 2; 1935 API.I.

INVENTORS. 0a/.s Schw/T25?. C'fmu J.' WWA/LER.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES HOPPER CLOSURE FOR STOKEES Louis Schwitzer and Carl J. Winkler, Indianapolis, Ind., assignors to Schwitzer Cummins Company, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation Application October 2,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a hopper for use in connection with a furnace stoker, and particularly with respect to the mounting of the lid or closure therefor.

In the installation of stokers it is often found that there is insuii'icient room available for conveniently handling or operating the hopper lid from one side or the other, and sometimes overhead space is lacking to permit the full opening of the lid. It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide a hopper closure or lid operating mechanism therefor which will require less overhead space, which may be operated from either side, is air tight, and economical in production.

One feature of the invention resides in the central pivotal mounting of the lid wherein it floats in balanced relation thereto for permitting it to be easily opened clear of the hopper by a single movement of a lever conveniently located on the end thereof.

Another feature of the invention resides in its pivotal mounting whereby it is caused to automatically center itself over the opening of the hopper and be drawn downwardly in sealing position with the sealing pressure equally distributed throughout its contacting edges.

Another feature resides in the mounting and adjustment of the operating handle, whereby it will act to draw the lid into sealing position under pressure with a minimum of exertion by reason of its leverage, said handle also acting to lock the lid in closed position. An adjustable feature of the handle permits it to be arranged to compensate for and take up any wear of the sealing cushion or gasket. Furthermore, the handle may be readily mounted at either end of the hopper, whichever is the most convenient for ,manipulation The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the stoker and hopper showing the lid in open position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion thereof with the lid in closed position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section through the pivotal mounting of the pivot bar and handle. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the operating structure.

In the drawing there is illustrated a hopper having a downwardly'sloping top provided with an opening 11 for the reception of fuel, and surrounded by a flange 12 upon which the ld 13 is adapted to seat when in position Ato close the opening 11, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

At the rear of the hopper, adjacent the opening, extending through opposite ends, there is a lid supporting hexagonal hinge bar 14 rotatably mounted with its bearings provided by said end walls. Locked to said bar so as to rotate there- 1933, Serial No. 691,781

with there is a pair of curved arms 15 pivotally connected to the bracket plate 16. Said bracket plate is provided with ears 17 through which a hinge rod 18 extends, the free ends of the arms 15 being pivotally y connected thereto. The bracket 16 is securely riveted to the center of the lid by the rivets 19. The arms are so formed and shaped that when the bar 14 is rotated in one direction, the arms will be moved about an arc to move said lid from open to closed position or vice versa, such movement to open position carrying the lid free of the hopper. For assisting in causing the lid to clear the back edge of the hopper when opened, there is provided a pair of springs 20 between the rear edges of the brackets 16 and the upper edges o1' the arms 15. The action of said springs is such as to normally exert an upward pressure against the lid at the rear of its pivotal connection with the arms 15 so that upon said arms being elevated, the rear edge of the lid will be thrown clear of the hopper duringv its upward and rearward swinging movement. A

The hexagonal hinge bar is provided with an annular cup-like bearing member 21 adjacent each end, which member is rotatably mounted in the annular opening in the end walls of the hopper 10. Said cup-like bearing is provided with a iiange 22 and a washer 23 mounted thereabout between the flange and the outer surface of the end wall. Adjacent the flange 22, on one end of the hinge bar there is mounted an operating handle lever 24 having a hexagonal opening through which the hinge bar extends. Associated with said hopper on each side thereof, there are adjusting arms 25 likewise mounted upon the hinge bar with a hexagonaLopening so as to move therewith. Each of said arms isv provided with a laterally extending elongated slot and the lever with a hole through which a lock nut 26 extends for adjusting them relative to eacli other. Beyond said arms and lever there is a spring 27 surrounding the hinge bar having one end bearing against the outer lever and the other against a washer 28 which is held adjacent the end oi.' the bar by a pin 29. The opposite end o f the hinge bar is similarly mounted in the end of the hopper with the exception of the handle lever and arms, which may be mounted on the opposite end in the same manner as above described, in event it is more convenient to have the handle lever thus positioned.

To each end of the hopper adjacent the front side there is a downwardly-extending catch 30 for receivingv the front end of the handle lever and holding it in `closed position. When said lever is thus held, pressure is exerted thereby upon the lid, holding it in closed position with the rubber gasket 31 compressed against the anged surfaces 12 surrounding the opening.

'I'he resiliency of said gasket permits the free end of thehandle to be forced down to clear the overhanging lip of the catch 30 and maintain it in said catch under tension.

In operation, the handle lever 24 is mounted upon that end of the hinge bar which is most accessible when the stoker is placed in operation. To raise the lid for feeding fuel into the hopper, the free end of the handle is presseddown and to one side, releasing it from the catch 30. Thereupon it is raised upwardly to vertical position with a single movement which acts to rotate the hinge bar, elevating the arms 15 and hopper lid to vertical position rearwardly of the hopper. The action of the springs 20 causes the rear edge' of the lid to be rst elevated when released so as to clear the rear edge of the hopper and prevent sliding or scraping. In closing the lid the handle is pulled downwardly. swinging the lid over the top of the hopper where it floats in balanced position against the tension of the spring 20 which still tends to hold the lid in slightly tilted position with the rear edge up so that the cushioned gasket 31 first engages the front of the hopper. Further downward movement of the lever lbrings the lid into position against the tension of the spring 20 until it is firmly seated about its entire edge. As the handle is further moved to clear the lip of the catch 30, the rubber gasket 31 is further compressed and caused to drawthe end of the handle upwardly against the catch which then holds the lid in closed and compressed position. Thus, the lid is held in sealed relation with the hopper about its entire edge.

The invention claimed is:

1. A container provided with an opening, a closure for said opening, a mounting for said closure secured substantially at the center thereof, a pivotal support for said mounting placed at one side of the container, said mounting being so formed as to center said closure over the opening when in closed position and carry it free of the container when in open position, and an operating handle secured to said pivotal support for manipulating it to open and close said closure.

2. A container provided with an opening, a closure for said opening, a mounting for said closure secured substantially at the center thereof, a pivotal support for said mounting placed at one side of the container, said mounting being so formed as to center said closure above the opening when in closed position and carry it free of the container when in open position, yielding means for tilting saidclosure when moved from closed position, and an operating handle secured to said pivotal support for manipulating it to open and close said closure.

3. A container provided with an opening, a closure for said opening, a mounting for said closure secured substantially at the center thereof, a pivotal support for said mounting placed at one side of the container, said mounting being so formed as to center said closure above the opening when in closed position and carry it free of the container when in open position, yielding means for tilting said closure when moved from closed position, an operating handle secured to said pivotal support for manipulating it to open and close said closure, a resilient sealing strip about the edge of said closure, and means for holding said handle in position to compress said sealing strip.

4. A container provided with an opening, a closure for said opening, said closure being formed of four angularly disposed panels sloping upwardly to a common center, a mounting for said closure secured to said center, a pivotal support for said mounting extending transversely of the container adjacent one wall thereof, said mounting and support being so formed as to center said closure over the opening when in closed position and carry it free of the container when in open position, a resilient sealing gasketjor the edges of said container, and an operating handle secured to said pivotal support for manipulating it to open said closure and close it against the tension of said panels and gasket.

5. A hopper having an open top surrounded with a horizontal flange strip for receiving a lid, f a hinge bar rotatably supported in the end walls of said hopper adjacent the rear side thereof, a pair of curved arms keyed to said bar and pvotally connected with the central portion of the lid, and an operating handle keyed to the end of Said bar exteriorly of the hopper for rotating it to move said lid to open and closed position.

6. A hopper having an open top surrounded with a horizontal ange strip for receiving a lid, a hinge bar rotatably supported in the end Walls of said hopper adjacent the rear side thereof, a pair of curved arms keyed to said bar and pivotally connected with the central portion of the lid, an operating handle keyed to the end of said bar exteriorly of the hopper for rotating it to move said lid to open and closed position, and a spring mounted between said arms and lid for normally elevating the rear edge thereof when released from closed position for causing said lid to clear the rear edge of the hoppei` when open.

V'7. A hopper having an open top surrounded with a horizontal ange strip for receiving a lid, a hinge bar rotatably supported in the end walls of said hopper adjacent the rear side thereof, a pair of curved arms keyed to said bar and pivotally connected with the central portion of the lid, an operating handle keyed to the end of said bar exteriorly. of the hopper for rotating it to move said lid to open and closed position, a. resilient sealing gasket extending between said hopper and lid about the edge thereof, a catch secured to said hopper for locking the front end of the hopper in sealing position, and adjustable means to compensate for wear and maintain said sealing position.

8. A hopper provided with an opening surrounded with a flange surface, a lid for closing 1&0 said opening formed with inherent spring tension therein. a hinge bar rotatably mounted in the ends of said hopper adjacent the rear wall thereof, a pair of curved arms keyed to said bar,-

a bracket secured icentrally of said lid and pivotally connected with the free vends of said arms, an operating handle keyed to one end of said bar exteriorly of the hopper, an adjusting arm associated therewith, a catch secured to said hopper for receiving the free end of said handle,v and a sealing gasket surrounding said lid when in Closed. position, said handle and adjusting arm being adjustable relative to each other for holding said lid in closed sealing position under spring tension when held by said catch. y

' LOUIS scHWrrzER. CARL J. WINKLER. 

